The Arabian Sand Cats
The Arabian desert is a very hot place. It is one of the few deserts that is actually filled with sand. Many animals and plants live here, such as the arabian coyote, red fox, scorpion, snake, and much more. And let's not forget the sand cat. In fact, the sand cats here have started to group into different Clans. They have adopted territory, ranks, ceremonies, and more. There are four Clans: SootClan, SaguaroClan, ScorpionClan, and BuzzardClan. You, however, are a lone sand cat at the moment, and know that you'll bump into a patrol of some kind. You padded through the sand, before nearing a tumble of rocks. You clambered onto it, your pads used to the searing heat. You knew that the hybrids you rarely saw on patrol weren't as used to it, and even saw them trying to hide limps sometimes. You climbed up the rocks, your tail swaying behind you. You sprang up onto the last rock, before trotting to the edge. You looked out over the rolling waves of sand dunes. Saguaros were scattered along the desert. Sun beat down onto the white and gold sand. You finally bounded and leaped back down the rocks, before landing on the soft sand. You trailed through the desert again. You noticed a line of coyotes sprinting in the distance. After a few minutes, you felt something push on your hind legs, making you topple over. You looked over your shoulder to see a patrol. Called it, you thought. You stood up and faced the leader of the patrol. He was large and muscular, and had many scars on his flanks. His amber eyes met yours, before narrowing. "I see you're a lone sand cat," he meowed, stepping forward. "Are you in search of a Clan?" "Yes, actually," you replied, holding your head high. He took a few more steps forward, the patrol circling you. You had a feeling they were inspecting you. "You seem worthy," he meowed. "Join SootClan. We are by far the best Clan." He whisked his tail behind him and the patrol nodded in unison. You nodded. "I'll join." ... You soon arrived to a dip in the sand. Rocks surrounded the hollow. Some cats lay on the rocks, while some roamed inside the camp. A elegant yet strong looking sand cat approached you. She flicked her tail and the patrol sprang onto the rocks before bounding down the slope. She looked past you to the male. "New recruit, Heatwave?" She meowed. Heatwave dipped his head. "Yes, Soot," he replied. Soot looked at you. "Welcome, newcomer. Come along, we'll test your abilities and I'll give you a rank." Camps SootClan SootClan is a deep dip in the ground surrounded by boulders. The rocks are almost always hot, except in the night, when they are very cold. Sometimes, sand cats lay on the rocks to relish the extra heat, especially ancients. Inside the hollow, there is one big rock overhang. Cats are welcome to sleep anywhere under the rock, but most choose to sleep amongst their rank. A steep, dusty trail leads up to the boulders. It is surrounded by rocks. A pile full of foods such as jerboas, jirds, and lizards is in the center of the camp. SaguaroClan SaguaroClan is simply a stretch of land surrounded by saguaros. They are a decent distance away from the other Clans. Because of this, they keep more to themselves. They pretty much sleep anywhere in the camp. They have a pile of prey and diced cacti in the very center of their camp, and many cats cluster near the pile when it comes time to sleep, with the hopes that they can wake up in the middle of the night for a snack. ScorpionClan ScorpionClan is encircled with a strong barrier of saltbushes and abals, making it hard to get in. There's a small patch where the barrier is slightly less strong, and this is where ScorpionClan cats get in and out of their camp. They've grown used to having to squeeze through the prickly bushes. Furthermore, they always have at least 2 cats guarding the entrance to the camp, and around 3 cats circling the camp and scouting for intruders. Inside, there is a large tumble of rocks that have been pushed together, making a sort of cave. Saltbushes were pushed together, leaving only a small entrance into the cave. The leader sleeps in the makeshift cave. There are more bushes weaved together into different dens, each den assigned a rank. Only that rank sleeps in the den. ScorpionClan has the strictest sleeping rules. There is no place anywhere in the barrier for a cat to get through, and if guards fall asleep on duty, they are punished with death. They also have a special den, made with large rocks. This is the prisoner den, and 3 guards are posted all around it. The rocks are piled too high up for escape, and you'd have to be the most daring sand cat in the world to try and escape. Their prey pile is next to the leader's cave. BuzzardClan BuzzardClan live in the cliffs of the Arabian desert. They are slightly far away, but only by a bit. There's a part where the rock shapes upward. They live in this area. The entrance is slightly risen, making the cats have to leap over it. They, like most of the other clans, sleep against the back wall. They have their fresh-kill in a hole in the center of camp. In the rare occasions that it rains, they cover the hole with rocks to preserve their prey. They have a colder living area than the other Clans. Information SootClan Strength: Brave and keen sight Leader: Soot Cats in this Clan have: A nicked ear SootClan cats are known to be brave. They have excellent sight. They send out a dawn patrol, afternoon patrol, and night patrol. When a cat joins the Clan, Soot gives them a nick in the ear to show that they are part of the Clan. If born here, they get the nick at their second ceremony. This is so that SootClan knows that they will be loyal, rather than giving them their nick in kithood and having the kit betray them. If exiled, a cat gets slashed harshly across the chest, something all Clans do to show to the other Clans they cannot be trusted. SaguaroClan Strength: Peaceful Leader: Open! Cats in this Clan have: A precise claw mark from the bottom of their right eye to their chin SaguaroClan cats are thought of to be lazy by other Clans. WIP